FAQs: Power Inverters | Voltage Converters

1) What is an inverter?

An inverter is a device that converts the DC voltage available from artificial power sources like car batteries into AC voltage.

2) What is the use of converting the power using an inverter?

By converting DC voltage from battery into AC voltage (Household Electricity), you can run appliances like Televisions, Radios, Computers or any other home appliance using the car battery.

3) How long can the power inverters be run?

This depends on the capacity and present condition of your source battery. For a battery in good condition, the engine must be run for at least 15 min every hour to prevent it from discharging quickly. The time in which your car battery remains charged depends also on the total power that you are drawing from it.

4) What is the power of the inverter that I require?

The Wattage of your inverter must be more than the total wattage of all the electrical appliances that you plug in into it. Infact, it must exceed the total wattage by at least 25% to be able to operate properly during power surges.

5) What appliances can I use with my power inverter?

If you are using a true-sine power inverter, any appliance whose wattage is below that of the inverter can be used with it. Most appliances also function well with modified-sine wave inverters, but some monitors and laser printers may show a certain degree of malfunction when operating on them.

6) Should the inverter be left in ON or OFF position when normal power is available?

Leaving it in OFF position is better since it tells you exactly when you have turned it ON and gives you an idea on how long you can use it. However, there is nothing wrong if you leave it in the ON position also.

7) What is the distance to be maintained between the car battery and the inverter?

The inverter should be kept as close to the car battery as possible. If you want to supply power to a device located at a distance from the car, use extension cable from the inverter to the device. The gauge of the extension cable can be decided by seeing the distance to which the power needs to be transferred.

8) What the inverter be used outside during rains?

The inverter is not weather proof. It should not be subjected to extreme temperatures or moisture. Keep it in a cool and dry place.

9) What is the low voltage alarm and what is its use?

A low voltage alarm tells you when the power in your source battery falls below 10V and then your inverter is shut down temporarily by itself. This prevents the battery from getting discharged completely.

10) What is the type of batteries to be used?

Deep cycle marine batteries are the most recommended.

11) What are the positive factors in favor of this type of batteries?

They have better tolerance to weather changes, and give more consistent voltage during use. They also have twice the life as a conventional battery and also provide power during surges quickly.

12) When should the batteries be connected in parallel?

If your appliances require more starting power, then 2 or 3 batteries can be connected in parallel.

13) Should the inverter be connected to the battery directly?

For getting power up to 150W, inverter can just be connected to the cigarette lighter socket. However, if you wish to draw a greater amount of power, the inverter should be connected to the battery directly.